Maxton man accused of assault for retaliation

MAXTON — A Maxton man has been arrested after retaliating against a neighbor he believed had stolen from him by striking him with a truck and then beating him up, according to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office.

Jerry Ray Porter, 49, was charged on Tuesday with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury. A warrant for the same charge has been taken out on Porter’s son, Justin, in connection with the incident, according to Maj. Anthony Thompson, chief of detectives.

Thompson said Gary Jacobs, who lives a few hundred feet from Porter on Rose Road, was taken to Scotland Memorial Hospital to be treated mainly for injuries to his face, but a hospital spokesperson said there was no information on a patient by that name.

According to Thompson, Jacobs was walking on Montford Road on Feb. 20 when the Porters drove up and hit him with their truck. They then knocked Jacobs down and beat him in the face with sticks before throwing him in a ditch, Thompson said.

Jacobs’ eyes were swollen shut when he was taken to the hospital, Thompson said, but no further details about his condition immediately after the incident were unavailable.

Jerry Porter was placed at the Robeson County Detention Center under a $20,000 secured bond.